Attachment for putting iron



Dec. 3, 1940.

J. L. YEAGER, JR

ATTACHMENT FOR PUTTING IRON Filed Sept. 25, 1939 INVENTOR JOHN L. YEA

ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 3, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ATTACHMENT FOR PUTTING IaoN John L. Yeager, Jr., Akron, Ohio Application September 25, 1939, Serial No. 296,328

1 Claim. (01. 273-81) The present invention has for its object the provision of an attachment primarily intended to be applied to the shaft of a putter so as to improve that particular branch of thegame of .5 golf, by securing better control of the movement of the club head.

one cause of inaccuracy in putting, with other things being equal, is the tendency to pull the club in either direction so that the club head 10 either cuts across the ball or slices the ball on the putting stroke. This will result in poor direction or inaccuracy in stroke and tends to cause the ball to deviate from the intended path. The device shown herein will correct this faulty execution of the putt, and while the exact factors which contribute to this result may be obscure, the major oneis believed to be that it enables the player to secure a firm grip on the club between the thumb and forefinger with those forces 20 in direct opposition which is impossible with the plain shaft or grip.

The attachment provides a firm rest or seat for the ball of the thumb and the forefinger which is located outside of the axis of the club shaft.

25 As a result, an accurate stroke is delivered, the

head of the club swinging in a truer arc than is possible with the ordinary club.

The attachment is preferably made of rubber in the form of a sleeve adapted to be slipped over 30 the handle and of proper proportions so that it will contract upon the handle and remain in its chosen position. The player may also shift the attachment about the club to secure the proper location of the grip and may place it at the de- 5 sired point along the club handle. Having fixed the desired location and angular position the attachment will remain as set and will insure the same grip at the same location for every putting stroke. l

40 It will be understood that the invention is shown and described in its preferred form, but that the broader claim herein is intended to include a permanent and fixed attachment.

In the drawing:

45 Figure 1 is a view showing a standard form of putter with the attachment in place;

Figure 2 is an enlarged view showing the upper end of the shaft and the position of the players hands thereon;

50 Figure 3 is a longitudinal section on the line 3--3 of Fig. 2; and

Figure 4 is a cross section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

v The shaft of a putter is indicated at l and the 55 head at 2, the usual grip being shown at 3.

The attachment consists of a rubber sleeve 5 which ispassed over the grip by means of any desirable expedient which will spread the sleeve so as to permit it to be passed over the grip and so that when the spreader is released the sleeve will contract upon and hug the grip with sufii- 5 cient force to prevent accidental movement of the attachment when in use.

Extending from the side of the sleeve is the projection or ear 6 of sufficient sizeto provide the area for the thumb and forefinger. A larger 10 recess or cup I is provided at one side of the ear for the ball of the thumb and a smaller recess 8 on the opposite side of the ear for the forefinger. The points at which the thumb and forefinger press against the attachment are thus opposed to one another so that there is no tendency for either digit individually to control the swinging movement. The surfaces of the recesses may be stippled or roughened, if desired, so as to insure a firmer grip. It will be understood that for left handed players the position of the parts will be reversed. v

The grip is made of rubber which will yield somewhat to the pressure of the thumb and forefinger so that the grip will be enhanced.

In using the attachment the club is preferably gripped as shown in Fig. 2 with the ball of the thumb in the recess 1 and the end of the forefinger in' the recess 8. The stroke is then delivered mainly at the center of the projection from the sleeve and the left hand serves merely as a pivot for the swinging movement of the club. This insures an accuracy of stroke and prevents misdirection of the ball as is often the case with a plain grip on the club.

It will be appreciated that while the sleeve and its projection are made of rubber and are integral, such details maybe changed. Also that while recessed areas are provided for the thumb and forefinger, either or both of the sides of the projection may be flattened.

What is claimed is:

An attachment for a golf club comprising an elastic sleeve fitting around the shaft of the club and contracted thereon, and a flexible integral projection having'parallel faces extending radially of the shaft at an angle of approximately 90 with respect to the face of the club, said parallel faces having opposed recesses providing yielding finger rests located outside of the shaft, one of said recesses being of a size suitable to receive the end of the thumb and the other being of a size suitable to receive the end of the forefinger.

JOHN L. YEAGER, JR. 

